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Started by willmyers0169, February 02, 2014, 01:44:03 PM

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willmyers0169

i have recently ordered a Lt15 from woodmizer and it will be ready for picked 2-21-14. What i was wondering if you guys could help me with is i want to have everything i need when the mill gets here so i can go to work, the only thing i have so far is a chainsaw and skidsteer to move logs, what are the best cant hooks for my mill and anything else you guys can think of.. thanks in advance

oh yea great forum, have learned alot already!
Machinist, WM LT15 230 JD skidsteer 2010 JD 2955 JD Jonsered chainsaw

thecfarm

willmyers0169,welcome to the forum.
.Cantdogs, or a peavey,Logrite is a sponsor on the left. There is a place that tells what a cant dog and peavey is on that site. made in the USA too. Blades for the mill. Will need a plastic wedge to put in the kerf of the log when a blade comes off. Can be brought at any chainsaw place. You will need chains or straps to pick logs up with. I would build a log deck a little bit higher to put 4-5-6 logs on to and then roll them on to the mill. Heavy equipment and sawmill don't mix.
What's the plan for the lumber? Will need stickers if going to stack lumber.
Give some thought on your waste,sawdust and slabs.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

willmyers0169

thanks thecfarm, i live on a farm so chains and straps are everywhere, as of right now im mainly only cutting siding for a garage and some material for a pole barn. As for the scrap i guess it will make it into the burn pile.  The sawdust ? not sure yet, maybe compost pile.  Thinking about building a Kiln also.
Machinist, WM LT15 230 JD skidsteer 2010 JD 2955 JD Jonsered chainsaw

Mooseherder

Congratulations Will and welcome to the Forestry Forum. :)

justallan1

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, Will.
As already said, I'd take a look at what blades you want for the species of logs you have, and have them with the mill for when you pick it up. Safety glasses or a face shield is a must, something everyone has, right up to the minute you want them. ;D
If WM has an online book on your mill, I'd read through it a couple, few times to be familiar with every aspect of it.
ASK QUESTIONS! Everyone here is more than willing to help.

Allan

thecfarm

Thinking of building a kiln? Go to the Drying and Processing Board,there are a bunch of threads there that will keep you busy.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

pineywoods

Ahead of time, make provision for sharpening blades. They are going to dull faster than you think. WM resharp is a good option for starting out. You may want to sharpen your own or find someone local, but don't wait till all your blades are dull before thinking about it..
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
100k bd ft club.Charter member of The Grumpy old Men

Magicman

Quote from: willmyers0169 on February 02, 2014, 01:44:03 PMwhat are the "best" cant hooks for my mill
Actually Logrite is the only cant hook.  http://www.logrite.com/  They are also a Forestry Forum sponsor.

I was a non-believer for many years because I just did not know.  I now regularly use 5 Logrite tools, the last of which is only a month old.   ;D

Welcome to the Forestry Forum.   :)
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

dgdrls

Welcome willmyers0169

LOGRITE Hands down!!


 

Congratulations on your new mill.
Lots to be excited about, but take your time
read the book on doing the alignment
and go through the steps.
You will learn the process and your mill will cut 100% right from the git-go!

Oh yeah  safety, safety safety!!

DGDrls

lyle niemi


stanwelch

Welcome Will.  I'm quite sure you will like your LT15. It is a well built and fun saw to operate.
Second the Logrite peavy. Especially for the manual mill I recommend the 60". I also find a leaf blower real handy to clean up around the mill and clear sawdust from the lumber before sticking.
Woodworker, Woodmizer LT15, Stihl 026, MS261CM and 460 chainsaws, John Deere 5410 Tractor 540 Loader,Forks & Grapple, Econoline 6 ton tilt bed trailer

Chuck White

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, Will!

Recomend a Leaf Blower as recommended by Stan, and a chainsaw!
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

Ocklawahaboy

I'm not too familiar with your model, have an old LT40.  I keep a little tool bag with some essentials.
Shims for the heavy slabs
Hammer
Short piece of metal pipe for tightening blade
Chain saw tool
Carb cleaner
Common hand tools
Etc etc etc
I know you are thinking that you have all this around but it is nice to have a set for the mill.

customsawyer

Welcome to the forum. If you are going to do very many larger logs you might want to look at the 78" Mega hook by logrite.
Two LT70s, Nyle L200 kiln, 4 head Pinheiro planer, 30" double surface Cantek planer, Lucas dedicated slabber, Slabmizer, and enough rolling stock and chainsaws to keep it all running.
www.thecustomsawyer.com

dboyt

Quote from: justallan1 on February 02, 2014, 02:32:11 PM
Safety glasses or a face shield is a must, something everyone has, right up to the minute you want them. ;D

Good call.  Add to that hearing protection for you and visitors/help, steel toe boots, and leather gloves. Your first logs will probably go for cants and stickers for drying lumber, so start out with low-grade logs.  Learn the sawmilling side of things first, then move on to the kiln.  There is quite a learning curve, but you'll get good advice here on the forum.  Oh yeh, you'll also need a digital camera so you can post photos!

Welcome to the forum.
Norwood MX34 Pro portable sawmill, 8N Ford, Lewis Winch

Bill Gaiche

Welcome aboard. I agree on the camera. You have to take photos of all the things you buy, lumber sawn and projects you build. Always take the time to make things as easy for yourself as you can, because there is a lot of ways to get a bad back, pinched fingers, cuts and scrapes. But your going to enjoy yourself with the new mill. bg

willmyers0169

thanks everybody for the tips. very helpful. i think i will go with the 60" logrite to start with, hopefully it will be what i need.  thanks again for taking the time to help a newbie for much appreciated!!!

Will
Machinist, WM LT15 230 JD skidsteer 2010 JD 2955 JD Jonsered chainsaw

Red Clay Hound

Welcome to the forum Will.  That's a good mill you have coming.  Enjoy! 8)
2007 Wood-Mizer LT40 Super Hydraulic with 51 hp. Cat; 2007 Wood-Mizer EG200 Twin Blade Edger; Woodmaster 718 Molder/Planer; Stihl MS460 and MS362 Chainsaws; 2011 John Deere 5065 with JD 553 Loader

YellowHammer

Congratulations!  That's a workhorse mill you've got coming.  I had one and loved it.  You might go ahead and pick a spot to put it, if its not a trailer model, level up a pad for it to set on. 
Might get some nice logs rounded up so they are stacked and ready.  Then get a pen and just keep crossing the days off the calendar. 8)
YH
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

willmyers0169

thanks guys, yeah yellow hammer im counting down the days like a kid at christmas.  Question, do yall recommend setting the mill on say 6x6 posts or just flat on the ground with the little leveler feet that woodmizer provides. its not the trailer model (yet)  and ive got a nice flat spot picked out for it
Machinist, WM LT15 230 JD skidsteer 2010 JD 2955 JD Jonsered chainsaw

Bill Gaiche

Set it on the 6x6's you mentioned. It will stay leveled better. The extra height  will help the back. bg

WDH

Quote from: willmyers0169 on February 03, 2014, 07:16:05 PM
thanks everybody for the tips. very helpful. i think i will go with the 60" logrite to start with, hopefully it will be what i need.  thanks again for taking the time to help a newbie for much appreciated!!!

Will

You need two cant hooks.  The 60" and the 78" mega-hook.  You need the mega-hook because you will invariably put logs on the mill that are too big to turn with the 60" cant hook.  Don't ask me how I know this  :).



 

You also need a good hatchet, wedges, and a bottle jack to level the big logs that you will invariably put on the mill.

My LT15 is permanently mounted on 6 x 6 beams with a log deck.



 

18" or knee high is a very nice working height. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

willmyers0169

awesome pictures WDH, how did you attach the mill to the 6x6's through the leveler holes?  do you know the dimension of  the LT15 (width) i would like to go ahead and have the 6x6's laid out when the mill gets here. Thanks
Machinist, WM LT15 230 JD skidsteer 2010 JD 2955 JD Jonsered chainsaw

WDH

I screwed a 2x4 onto the 6x6's along the rail of the mill bed to keep it form sliding off when you turn the big logs that the 78" LogRite mega-hook will turn. 

Here is Forum member Raider Bill doing an action shot on the mill.  If you look carefully, you can see the 2x4 that prevents the mill from sliding off the 6x6's. 



 

The mill is just mounted onto the 6x6's.  I found the little screw leveler feet to be a pain.  When you turn a very big log, the mill can shift if it is just sitting on the little screw leveler feet.  This way, it will not move at all.  You can shim up the rails to get them dead level with all cross bunks exactly the same height.  Use a string to make sure everything is lined up perfectly. 

You are going to love this mill.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

POSTON WIDEHEAD

those pics make me have nightmares.   electricuted-smiley electricuted-smiley electricuted-smiley
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

stanwelch

Will, I started sawing with my LT15 on the ground using the factory levelers like this:

 
Later I thought a solid foundation would be better so I built this:

 
That was much better so I decided to build this:

 
I've been felling trees, sawing posts and beams, and cutting joints for a year.  Maybe raise the frame this spring.  BEWARE when the sawmill bugs bites there is no cure!!
Woodworker, Woodmizer LT15, Stihl 026, MS261CM and 460 chainsaws, John Deere 5410 Tractor 540 Loader,Forks & Grapple, Econoline 6 ton tilt bed trailer

elk42

Stan looks real good, from another Lt15 owner. 8)
Machinist Retired, Lt15 WM 25 HP, Stihl 044, Stihl 311, Kubota M2900w/FEL, KUBOTA L4800 w/FEL,
Lincoln Ranger 10,000, stihl 034,

Cedarman

A couple of heavy duty sawhorses on which to put flitches to be edged.  There is nothing like being able to pick those up from just under waist height rather than from the ground.  Real back saver.
One thing I like about the peavey is that it can be stuck in the ground about anywhere and no bending over to pick it up.
Megahooks are great, but a small one works great with small logs and small cants. Probably need at least 3 sizes.
I am in the pink when sawing cedar.

stanwelch

Elk42. Thanks for the compliment. I just looked at your gallery--WOW 42 foot 12x12!!!
I like your log turner also. Grandsons are great. I got my grandson to help me at the mill also


 
Great looking saw shed gotta help a lot for shade and rain
Woodworker, Woodmizer LT15, Stihl 026, MS261CM and 460 chainsaws, John Deere 5410 Tractor 540 Loader,Forks & Grapple, Econoline 6 ton tilt bed trailer

willmyers0169

thanks for the help yall, great looking setup there stanwelch..
Machinist, WM LT15 230 JD skidsteer 2010 JD 2955 JD Jonsered chainsaw

stanwelch

Good luck getting your saw set up and running. Won't be long now. Remember we  like PICTURES !!
If no pictures, it didn't happen. Tell us more about yourself with more information in your profile
Woodworker, Woodmizer LT15, Stihl 026, MS261CM and 460 chainsaws, John Deere 5410 Tractor 540 Loader,Forks & Grapple, Econoline 6 ton tilt bed trailer

willmyers0169

ill take plenty of pics. can you upload them off of an iphone?
Machinist, WM LT15 230 JD skidsteer 2010 JD 2955 JD Jonsered chainsaw

stanwelch

Thanks for the profile update
I don't know how to upload from an IPhone but this has been discussed before. You can do a search to find it
Woodworker, Woodmizer LT15, Stihl 026, MS261CM and 460 chainsaws, John Deere 5410 Tractor 540 Loader,Forks & Grapple, Econoline 6 ton tilt bed trailer

willmyers0169

stanwelch do you think you could tell me the width of your LT15 frame. i would like to go ahead and get the 6x6 and need to know how many to get.  thanks
Machinist, WM LT15 230 JD skidsteer 2010 JD 2955 JD Jonsered chainsaw

Doug Wis

    Cant hooks... On the big logs, long one are great. But if you have many smaller ones, a shorter one works real well. Ordered one from local hardware store. Didn't notice that it only had a 24" handle until it came. Took it because I had special ordered it. handiest thing around the mill. A lot easier to use than a longer one. Even when I upgraded to a TK 1600 with hyd turner it still gets used a lot.  Good luck and have fun.
A man who says he can do everything at 65 that he did at 25 sure wasn't doing much at 25.

elk42

stan my log turner sits on 8" w/f  H beam if you are lucky to find some it works
great. The log turner has a 3500 mile marker winch and it has turned oak logs as large as 30" x 16ft.   Mine H beam came from salvage yard. 
        Also get  logrite cant hooks {the best}.
Machinist Retired, Lt15 WM 25 HP, Stihl 044, Stihl 311, Kubota M2900w/FEL, KUBOTA L4800 w/FEL,
Lincoln Ranger 10,000, stihl 034,

stanwelch

Will,  I would give you the width of my LT15 but I'm in South Carolina at my son's place waiting for the snow to melt off my sawmill in Michigan (-10 there this morning).  Try calling Woodmizer.  Make your cross ties 12" wider than the mill bed so you can attach a stringer the length of the bed on the outside to keep the bed from moving when you turn or load a log.  You can see the stringer in the picture of my mill
Woodworker, Woodmizer LT15, Stihl 026, MS261CM and 460 chainsaws, John Deere 5410 Tractor 540 Loader,Forks & Grapple, Econoline 6 ton tilt bed trailer

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